Miller was a Lecturer in English Philology at Oriel College and Brasenose College in Oxford in 1953-57.[1] During his time in Oxford, Miller also became one of J.R.R. Tolkien's B.Litt. (Bachelor of Literature or Bachelor of Letters) students (starting on January 20, 1952). During four years he worked on his thesis on the Middle English fabliau (comic bourgeois tale) Dame Sirith, examined by Tolkien and G.V Smithers on March 2, 1956.[2]

Miller and Tolkien seem to have continued staying in touch. In 1971, he sent Tolkien a copy of C.T. Onions' Modern English Syntax (the revised edition by Miller, published in the same year). Tolkien replied to Miller on June 21, thanking for the gift (see letter Brian Miller 21 June 1971).